


Red Ring Of Death

by neil4god



Series: Blurred Lines [4]
Category: James Bond (Craig movies), James Bond (Movies), Sherlock BBC, Skyfall (2012) - Fandom, bondlock - Fandom
Genre: Bondlock, Established Relationship, Interfering Moneypenny, M/M, OFC/OMC - Freeform, Oblivious Q, Possessive Alec, Q just wants a friend
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-13
Updated: 2013-09-03
Packaged: 2017-12-23 07:48:02
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,240
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/923752
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/neil4god/pseuds/neil4god
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Eve drops some files off in Q Branch and finds out something new about Q - of course she's completely wrong, but that hardly matters at all.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I just want to admit that I am not a gamer and don't actually think what I've described is on the market right now, or even physically possible, so please ignore it if I'm wrong.

Q was sitting in the middle of Q Branch twiddling with a bit of wire while the entire department moved around him. Eve watched technicians and computer analysts manoeuvre around him like this was normal, like their quartermaster spent his day sitting on the cold floor with bits of wires and metal spread out around him like a barrier. Carefully picking her way through the debris, Eve crouched down beside Q, nudging his shoulder softly in hello. 

He still startled as though she’d snuck up on him rather than crossing an open plan room right in front of him. Pulling himself together, Q arched a brow and asked “Is there a reason you’re lurking around Q Branch Miss Moneypenny?”  
It was hardly lurking! If anyone was being odd it was him, sprawled across the floor instead of in his office at a desk. Fighting a smile, Eve answered, “I have some files for you to look through. Tanner needs them back on his desk by tomorrow morning with an assessment on what you think should be altered.”  
Even though he was looking at her, Eve knew by the way his fingers toyed with a screwdriver that he was losing focus, going back to his project. He nodded thoughtfully barely glancing at the files, before he picked up a plastic case and started dismantling it. 

Eve couldn’t help but ask, “Is that an Xbox?”  
His whole body jumped, he had obviously forgotten about her again, although how when she was right there she didn’t know. At least this time she was asking about something he was interested in. She might get more than two words out of him. When he did answer she got even less. “360”  
Wondering if he had completely lost the plot or whether that was some clever new mathematical thing she’d never heard of, Eve settled on a confused “huh?” and prayed for an explination. What she received was even more surprising.  
“It’s an Xbox 360. Alec brought it in for me to fix the red ring of death. Alec said it just stopped working, but the case is all cracked on the front and side. I think he and James must have gotten a little too competitive over Halo. They most likely threw the controller at it, at least I hope so, if I find bullet holes I will be most upset.”  
Q, the head of MI6’s computer technologies and R&D department, was fixing an Xbox for the two most obnoxious secret agents in the country? The “why” was out before she even realised it. 

Q stared at her balefully like it was the most obvious thing in the world before telling her,  
“They asked and frankly I’d rather have them indoors playing Halo than mucking about London with nothing to do.”  
That at least she could understand. The last time both Alec and James had leave together M had to bail them out of jail, apologise to the Prime Minister and compensate three nightclubs for fire and structural damages. It was in everyone’s best interest that those two stay indoors and out of harm’s way. 

Guiltily Eve realised Q was still speaking,  
“I’m trying out a new platform. Theoretically when I’m through this should be able to play games from both Playstation and Wii as well as Xbox games. It should be enough to buy that house in Kensington Gardens I want.”  
She had definitely missed part of the conversation because none of that made sense to her. Q must have realised as well because he continued,  
“I should be able to sell the patent to Nintendo. They won’t want this on the market, not once I have it able to play Kinect and Wii games together. I’ll let Alec keep the prototype and make another one for Bond of course, he gets very jealous when I give Alec something and not him. He asked for rope on his last mission, just because Alec got some for his. Never mind that Alec had to scale a small mountain to reach his target or that Bond barely left his hotel room the entire mission. They can be so childish sometimes.” 

She couldn’t argue with that. Stepping out of her crouch Eve stretched out the muscles in her legs before suddenly noticing just how much Q talks about Alec and Bond. Thinking about it Eve realised that they are the only agents Q has ever called by their first names. He is meticulous to call all of the double O agents by their designation. Quickly the pieces slotted together in her mind, like a jigsaw puzzle, Eve had found the missing piece. Q, sweet geeky quiet Q, had a crush on the two older men. Sympathy swelled in her chest, the poor dear. No wonder he was slaving away over the Xbox, this was probably his misguided way of showing the two men how much they meant to him. The two ingrates probably wouldn’t even notice. At least she hoped not, far better they remain ignorant of the situation than use it against Q. 

Determined now Eve settled a hand on Q’s shoulder petting it lightly before murmuring her goodbyes. She would have to think about this. Q was too good to be alone and unloved. He needed someone to appreciate him, someone to take care of him outside the office. She would have to go through her contacts and find him a boyfriend. He clearly couldn’t do it on his own or he wouldn’t be mooning over those two degenerates. He obviously had a type though, she must know some eligible blonde men. After all she knew hundreds of people. Surely one of them would take Q’s fancy. She would start in the morning, call up some people and convince Q to go for drinks after work with them. Nothing too fancy, she didn’t want him to feel uncomfortable or pressured, just a drink after work with some new, absolutely his type, people. Eve didn’t fight the smile creeping its way across her face, she loved projects and this one promised to be fun.


	2. Chapter 2

It took her most of the day and physically shutting off the lights in the lab to get Q to come to the pub. She had very almost given up, but in the end she had persevered and Q was reaping the benefits. He was two pints in, chatting about platforms or something else dull with George, a blonde man Alec’s height with light blue eyes like James. Q hadn’t really gotten on with the two other blokes Eve had invited for drinks, but Julian and Alex had gotten on well enough with each other to grab a taxi back to one of their flats. She thinks they might even be able to make a go of it, once Alex doesn’t run out in the morning of course. 

George was the one she had picked for Q anyway. The other two were really just there to make him look better. George works in a software company running the IT division so they had plenty to talk about. They had been chatting and laughing for almost an hour now and things seemed to be going well. Q hadn’t actually said anything of course, but she could tell by the way he tugged at his shirt collar that he liked George enough to be nervous, and that was a very good sign. 

She finished her drink and offered another round, Q smiled tentatively, ready to accept but George refused before he could, saying, “Thanks Eve, but I’m actually starving. I thought maybe we could go for food Q?”   
Eve smiled brightly telling them it was a wonderful idea, but Q looked hesitant. Noticing his smile diminished George laid his hand across Q’s arm and said quietly, “We’d be able to talk properly over dinner. I want to hear all about that platform you mentioned.”   
Q carefully shifted his weight, forcing George to move his hand, but he agreed to dinner. Beaming now Eve made some excuse to get out of it. It was obvious that George just wanted to spend time with Q and Eve was more than happy to oblige. He had already thanked her for introducing him to Q. In that moment he had cemented himself in her favour. By the look on Q’s face he had made a hit there as well. The young man was positively beaming, his whole face lighting up with delight. Eve smiled back, nodding at George who couldn’t keep back his grin either. It was then that Eve felt a hand slap down on her shoulder, keeping her firmly in place. 

Startled Eve let out an aborted squeal before she recognized the figures behind and beside her. Alec and James of course! Cursing herself for not having them re-deployed out of the country, Eve brushed off Alec’s hand and made reluctant introductions. Q was almost bouncing in his seat with excitement. She would have to make sure Q stayed far away from both men at the Christmas party next month; alcohol obviously lowered his inhibitions too much. Alec clearly agreed, asking Q in a commanding voice she had never heard outside of missions, “How much have you had to drink?”   
Q took in Alec’s tense shoulders and James’ angry body language and physically deflated, directing his answer at both men, “Just two.”   
James nodded once to Alec, both communicating silently before Alec told Q, “Just one more then.”   
Q’s smile blossomed as he spoke and Eve thought she caught a glimmer of amusement on Alec and James’ faces. Of course the question of why either man should feel amused, or why they should have any power over Q worried her immensely. They had no right to tell him how much he could drink. 

George seemed to be in agreement, his face showing his dislike of the two agents, he brushed his arm across Q’s shoulders and tried to steer him out of the pub. Q stopped him instantly, stepping out of his embrace and closer to Alec. James flanked his other side, pushing him closer to Alec so their sides met. She was going to have serious words with both men. George let out a confused sigh before pointedly staring at Q and saying, “I thought we were going for food Q?”   
Eve watched something she couldn’t name cross Alec’s features, his whole body tensing when Q answered, “I am hungry. Are you guys coming? I don’t think I’ve eaten anything today and I’m starving.”   
Alec sent George a cold smile that had Bond chuckling darkly beside them before answering for them both, “Dinner then. We can’t have you passing out from hunger Q.”  
Q blushed bright red up to the tips of his ears. She would have to interfere. Clearing her throat Eve attempted to salvage the situation. “I think food sounds good actually. We’d best get a move on or everywhere will be full.”  
Alec smiled that nasty cold smile again, his eyes hard as he chortled, “Oh I know the perfect place.” 

George brushed up against her letting the other three walk ahead of them down the wet street. Placing his hand on her arm he asked, “What’s going on here Eve? Who are those guys?”   
The poor chap looked devastated, but he hadn’t left which was a good sign. Deciding to be honest, at least in this, Eve told him, “We work together. Q has a bit of a crush on them I think, but neither one are gay although even if they were they’re still absolute dicks.”   
She could see the insecurities run riot across George’s face, but he held firm, asking “He really likes them?”  
If George liked Q enough to put up with the two double O’s then he was one hell of a catch and she’d be damned if she was going to let anything get in the way of her plans. “I think so yes. It’s just a little crush George. We’ve all had them from time to time. I even had one on James for a while, which proves that no-one is immune. They hang around Q’s department a lot and they’re rather protective of him. I think that’s why they’re here tonight. In their own strange way they are just trying to look out for him.”   
She gripped him tightly under the pretext of a wobbly heel when he asked, “Is that really all it is?”   
She really hoped it was. If Q was actually in love with either of the agents then he was bound to get his heart broken. Making her voice firm she answered with a confidence she didn’t feel, “I’m certain of it. They both have awful track records with relationships. I think they just don’t want Q to go through what they did.”  
For obvious reasons Eve did not mention Vesper or the fact that Eve had run a very thorough security check on George before inviting him for drinks tonight. 

The restaurant hadn’t been too much of a walk, although in the wet and with George quiet, it had managed to be pretty miserable. Still the restaurant was inviting, covered in twinkle lights and radiating warmth. Inside was just as nice, large round tables with candles in the middle and twinkle lights everywhere created a nice romantic atmosphere, making Eve wonder how she’d never been here before. It was absolutely packed with people and there was a line in front of them, but Alec with his typical arrogance, wandered past them dragging their group along. The Maitre D table was manned by a young man barely out of his twenties with olive skin and dark hair. 

He took one look at Alec and put his head in his hands as if to cry, complaining loudly, “No. Go away we’re busy Alec. Not tonight.”  
Shocked by what had to be the rudest Maitre D Eve had ever encountered, she made to move forward but was blocked by James. Irritated she dodged around him, getting close enough to deal with the young man herself. Before she could though he was shrugging heavily and gesturing them forward with a surly, “Come on then.”   
Alec smiled slyly and followed him to a large table in the middle of the room. Alec pulled out a chair for Q and unexpectedly one for James as well. Both men blushed slightly as they took their seats, one on either side of Alec. Somehow Eve ended up sitting beside Q with George on her other side. George tried not to look too put out but Eve could see right through it. 

The Maitre D handed them all menus and told Alec, “Mama’s in the kitchen she’ll be delighted you’re here. Especially when I tell her you brought friends.”   
Alec laughed brightly, “You’re mother loves me Toni.”   
The young man shrugged his shoulders before answering, “It’d be less creepy if you didn’t love her back.”   
Alec waved it off as impossible, telling the boy his order as well as Q and James’. Eve and George had barely glanced at the menu and babbled out whatever was at the top when Toni asked them. 

Eve was still playing catch up with the conversation. She kept getting distracted by the way Alec let his fingers linger over Q’s. If he was tormenting that poor boy into thinking he had a chance with him, then Eve was going to have to shoot him. The boy was back in moments with a round of drinks and dessert. Asserting herself she told him he had made a mistake, but the boy gave her a pitying look she couldn’t quite understand and informed Alec, “Mama will be out later. She wants to meet your friends. She was amazed you have any actually. We figured you’d still want your dessert first even if you were with company.” Addressing Eve and George now he continued, “Neither of you ordered dessert so Mama sent out the chocolate cake, you can have something else if you prefer?” Eve smiled politely and thanked him, chocolate cake was her favourite after all. 

Alec and James kept up a steady stream of conversation over dessert, being sure to include everyone while somehow monopolizing Q. George eventually managed to turn the conversation to his vantage, asking if James or Alec work in IT as well. Q burst out laughing so hard he doubled over unable to breathe. Alec kept his hand on his nape rubbing soothing circle while he ignored Q’s laughter and answered George’s question. “No we work in the same company, different sections though. We tend to break whatever tech Q gives us.”  
James joined in, leaning against Alec as he poured water for Q, “We don’t do very well with computers. We can code and do that sort of stuff well enough, but it’s more Q’s thing than ours. He’s fixing our Xbox at the moment. Alec lost his temper with it.”  


“I did not lose my temper James, although considering you cheated through the entire game I have no idea where I found the patience.”   
Whatever else he was about to say was cut off by a tall thin woman with dark curls and olive skin pulling Alec out of his chair and into a hug. Alec hugged her back fiercely, speaking in swift Italian for a few moments before switching back to English. A young girl carefully placed plates around the table while Alec introduced the older woman as Mama Zeta. When it came to James she hugged him tightly as well, beaming at both men, saying in perfect English, “I’m so pleased you two boys worked things out.”   
Turning to Q, she missed the blush creeping up Bond’s face, “And who is this one Alec? He’s thin as a rail! We’ll have to fatten you up. Alec needs to take better care of you.”   
Q blushed brightly as well, making Mama Zeta coo at him before patting Alec on the shoulder and heading back to the kitchen. Leaning close to Q Alec told him, “She’ll send you out double portions now.”  


Disquieted by the intimacy with which Alec spoke to Q, Eve tried to distract Alec from Q asking, “How do you know her?”   
She really hoped it wasn’t through a mission. If Mama Zeta was a spy she would be most put out, this was her night off after all. Alec’s answer was confusing and gave her more questions than answers. “I used to date her daughter years ago. It didn’t last very long. When we broke up she introduced me to her son and we dated for nearly a year I think. She was devastated when we broke up, she didn’t speak to him for almost six months after. It just kills her that Toni’s straight.”  
Before Eve could find a way to ask what she wanted, George was already speaking, “I’m surprised she didn’t set you up with one of her nephews or other family then.”  
Alec laughed heartily, Eve couldn’t help but notice the way Q and James shivered beside him. “Apparently her nephews don’t deserve me and her nieces are monsters. Honestly though she’s just happy I’m in a relationship at last.”   
Watching Q carefully for any signs of shock or disappointment Eve was surprised to find none. Laughing and confident for the first time since the double O’s showed up, George looked at Q and said, “Looks like we’re the only one’s still single then Q. Well unless James has a partner?”  
Q and James dropped their forks. Alec’s grip tightened on his knife warping the metal in his fist. On edge now Eve wasn’t sure exactly what had happened or how to fix it. Q stuttered out a reply, sharp and indignant, “I’m not single! I honestly don’t know where you got that impression but all three of us are in a relationship.”  


Eve ignored George completely, he was making choked noises, but it wasn’t relevant. All that mattered was that Q had a boyfriend and she didn’t know about it. How did she not know about it? What about his crush on Alec and James? Did his boyfriend know or did it not matter? Was it even a crush, maybe they were just friends and Eve had misread the situation entirely. Spluttering somewhat, Eve questioned Q, drawing on her time as an active agent to make her tone hard and uncompromising, “Who are you seeing? Is it someone from work? Do I know them? Is it Harris from accounting? I’ve caught him checking you out at the departmental meetings.”   
The smile that had plastered itself across both Alec and James’ faces dropped the instant she mentioned Harris. 

Q stayed perfectly silent under her scrutiny, before Alec gave him some sort of signal she couldn’t read, at which point Q blushed furiously before unbuttoning his shirt collar. At first she thought it was a chain, but as he undid more buttons she realized it was a collar, a thin leather collar with silver buckles closed tight around his neck. Alec smirked running his finger up the length of Q’s neck while James grinned broadly and brushed his fingers through Alec’s hair. She’d been blind and foolish and so remarkably stupid it beggared belief. How could she not have seen it? Alec had spent the whole meal marking his territory, like a dog pissing on a wall, he had kept James and Q close, monopolizing conversation and keeping them distracted with little touches. All those discreet glances she had ignored thinking they were just concern. The way he made George back down and pushed him away from Q. Even the hand at the small of both men’s back as they walked to the restaurant had been proprietary. 

Q broke the quiet that had descended, speaking directly to George, “I am sorry if there was any confusion. I didn’t know you liked me like that. I just thought it was nice to meet someone I could talk computers with. The only other people I can do that with are my brothers and neither of them have much interest in tech. I am sorry George and I would like to be your friend if that’s possible.”   
That was supposed to be for George to decide, that is typically how the speech goes, Eve has made enough of them herself to know it is up to George to become Q’s friend. But in this instance, it was Alec who tilted his head thinking it through before muttering something to James nodding once at the whispered response, then telling Q, “You can be his friend, but only if he passes your brother’s scrutiny.”   
Q made a face like he’d eaten something bad, before smiling tentatively at George. Much like Eve George was way out of his depth, the poor man looked completely confused, between getting the brush off and trying to puzzle out Q’s relationship with Alec and James, he was only able to nod and make his excuses before leaving the restaurant. Eve stayed put, questions tumbling through her head. Over all the questions about Q’s relationship was a niggling curiosity about his brothers. After all who could possibly scare 006 and 007?


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eve gets to meet Q's brother (although meet would imply introductions and conversation however mundane)

Eve just wanted to go home and have a bath. This whole week had been awful with one terrorist after another making her life as difficult as possible. She had a little over half an hour left before she could clock out. There was a major crisis in Q Branch but it wasn’t anything she could help with, so she felt ok about leaving on time for once. She would check in on Q before she left but only for a moment. Putting away the last of the Rodriquez files Eve looked up when she felt two figures hovering over her. They were both tall and extremely well dressed. The ginger one used an umbrella like a walking stick, while the other man’s eyes flitted around the room restlessly. He was drop dead gorgeous and if she was very lucky he would be single and straight. “How can I help you gentlemen?”  
There was no point trying anything with the gorgeous one until she made sure he wasn’t a spy. The older man answered, his tone somehow sneering and ingratiating at the same time, “Is Mallory inside? Tell him I’ve brought help.”  
That was extremely unhelpful, “I’m sorry but who are you?”  


He was already walking away, following the other one down the halls. Eve decided to follow them, after all she couldn’t just let two civilians wander around MI6. They could be anyone for all she knew and after Silva she wasn’t willing to risk it. Catching up took more effort than she would have liked, especially in these shoes, panting slightly she found them at the elevators, the older man berating the younger one, “You can’t just wander off Sherlock.”  
The younger man, Sherlock glared at him before holding open the lift for Eve, telling him, “I’m bored. You said you had something for me to do but so far I’m still bored.”  


Smiling brightly at both men Eve interjected, “If you could just tell me who you both are I can arrange for the appropriate level of clearance.”  
The looks they turned on her was enough to make her pause, had she been anyone other than an MI6 agent she is sure she would have simply run away by now. Sherlock looked her up from toe to head and back again, trying not to preen to much she waited for his assessment, “How dull.”  
That was not the assessment she was used to getting, especially not from tall, dark attractive men. Deciding to ignore her Sherlock continued his conversation with the other man, “Have John sent down once he arrives.”  
The other man, whose name she still did not know, sighed heavily before replying, “He cannot simply come waltzing into MI6, besides he is at work and doesn’t even know we’re here.” 

Eve was seriously starting to consider tazering them. It would get them to shut up while she tried to verify their identities. The elevator pinged on Q’s floor and she followed both men. Sherlock, it really was unfair that someone be that attractive and obnoxious at the same time, told the other man “Of course he knows we’re here. I texted him, he’s on his way.”  
Gay then, she'd really hoped she'd have a shot there but John must be his partner or boyfriend. Partner probably if he assumed he could just walk into MI6 because Sherlock was here. She would have to alert security that there was a possible breach. 

Tapping quietly on her mobile, long fingers suddenly covered the screen and pulled her phone out of her grasp. Sherlock smiled smugly and put it into his pocket. She hadn’t heard him move closer to her, he was as silent as the double O’s and just the thought alone was enough to send a shiver down her spine. Who exactly had she let into the building? The older man walked calmly towards Q Branch, obviously aware of the route. Confused by Sherlock’s acquisition of her phone and whether it was meant as a hostile act, Eve called out to Alec and Bond coming around the corner. They stopped in their tracks, taking in the frozen scene in front of them and simultaneously went back the way they came. They had barely moved before they were stepping forward again with the other man heading towards them. 

Alec’s eyes flickered over Sherlock taking him in from his upturned collar to his tailored trousers and looking away as though seeking something. Bond’s eyes tacked the movement, tracing Alec’s gaze with his own and coming to the same startling conclusion he asked, “Where’s John?”  
Alec pressed closer to Bond as though Sherlock was a threat. Clearing his throat the ginger man told them, “He wasn’t needed for this.”  
Alec laughed loudly, the sound filling the hallway, “Bloody unlikely. He shouldn’t be out in public without John, it’s not safe.”  
Taking umbrage with Alec’s words, Sherlock pulled himself up to his full height towering over everyone, “I am perfectly capable of looking after myself, unlike some people.”  
It was a snide remark meant for Bond she thinks, but Alec’s smile never slips, “I meant it’s not safe for everyone else. You should go home, come back later with John.”  


Sherlock’s eyes darted to the stranger’s in an, I told you so, before returning to Alec and Bond, “You’ve been shooting things. I want to shoot things. Mycroft interrupted my practice earlier.”  
It was petulant and childish and the stranger, Mycroft seemed to be very familiar with it, “It is not acceptable to shoot the walls in your living room Sherlock regardless of how bored you are. I was doing Mrs Hudson a service by taking you away.”  
Sherlock ignored him completely, glancing once more at the double O’s as though he could read their history with a glance, then announcing “The firing range is this way then.”  


He took off, his long legs eating up the distance in no time. Both agents looked alarmed, immediately following him. Eve was starting to feel a little left out. They clearly knew who these men were. That didn’t mean they weren’t a threat, in fact it almost guaranteed that they were extremely dangerous, the double O’s only ever associated with other assassins or agents. Mycroft planted his umbrella firmly in front of him, calling out loudly, “Sherlock there is a cyber attack happening right now that Q needs your assistance with. You may shoot things later once John is here. Now do come along.” 

She had managed to send a text to Mallory informing him of what was happening on a phone she stole from one of the passing technicians. It was rushed but she knew he would understand it. This was mostly about damage control now, finding out who these men were and what they really wanted in Q Branch. Sherlock’s entrance had every head in Q Branch popping up to stare at the intruders. Q stopped typing for a moment and waved over the newcomers, toying with the collar she knew was hidden under his shirt. Alec and Bond flanked Sherlock as he walked and for a moment she couldn’t help but be reminded of politicians and dictator’s being surrounded by bodyguards. Q made a space for Sherlock next to him, leaning against him more than was typically allowed by Alec. Since discovering Q’s relationship with the agents Eve had been trying to figure out the logistics. She was curious to know why Alec and Bond accepted it when Q touched Sherlock but went ballistic when he brushed up against Wayne from three floors up. There had to be a reason for it. 

Eve expected someone to fill him in, tell him what was happening, where the attacks were coming from and what he needed to do but Q stayed silent focusing on his screen and Sherlock started typing. Seeing them together Eve was struck by the similarities, both tall and thin with dark hair. They could almost be brothers. Eve saw Mallory arrive from the corner of her eye. Moving away from Mycroft she crossed the distance to him, apologizing immediately, “I’m so sorry sir. I tried to stop them, but” He cut her off, staring in at Sherlock and Q working together, “Don’t worry about it Ms Moneypenny, nothing you did could have stopped them.”  
Relieved that Mallory was being so calm about things she asked, “But who are they sir?”  
“That is Mycroft and Sherlock Holmes. They are Q’s older brothers.” 

Suddenly Eve remembered that dinner last month with Q and the double O’s. She remembered how afraid they were even at the mention of Q’s brothers. Although it was entirely possible that both men were dangerous, there wasn’t anything about them that a double O should fear, let alone two of them. Hoping Mallory would satisfy her curiosity she asked, “Why are they here then?? Surely it’s not because they’re his brothers, the clearance alone…”  
She trailed off waiting for him to fill in the blanks. He stepped closer to her, making his voice softer as he spoke, darting glances at Mycroft every few seconds as though he was a python ready to strike, “They’re from an old family, powerful. Mycroft occupies a minor role in government which is really code for Mycroft is the government and the MI5 and in his spare time the CIA. They have higher clearance than I do even though Sherlock isn’t even in the government. He is a detective but by far the most brilliant of the three. Don’t misunderstand me, Q is a genius and so is Mycroft, but Sherlock is smarter than both of them combined. If those three ever decided to work together they could take over the world in a week. We are very very fortunate they don’t get along very often.”  


Eve tried to process that. She knew exactly how smart Q was, had spent time with him and even seen his IQ scores, so the idea that his brother could be that much smarter than him was almost too much to take. He was obnoxious certainly and had no tolerance for boredom, but he seemed normal enough. Mycroft too, although he wouldn’t be her type. She wondered what Sherlock’s type was, Eve found herself fascinated by the man who could be his lover. Was he demanding as well? Stubborn? Was he as drop dead gorgeous? As posh and intelligent? Mallory crossed the hallway to speak to Mycroft, leaving her to her thoughts in peace. 

She tapped out a message to security telling them to send down John when he arrived but didn’t send it. A short older blonde man, definitely military power walked his way down the hall towards them, nodding at Mallory and Mycroft before pushing through the glass doors and into Q Branch. He was mostly ignored by the technicians they were too fascinated by what Q and Sherlock were doing. She was sure it was something tremendously difficult but it just looked like gibberish to her. Alec and Bond nodded to him in greeting, patting his back and murmuring something she couldn’t hear. Stepping back from their place behind Sherlock they let the newcomer replace them, his hands landing softly on Sherlock’s shoulders as Alec and Bond shuffled closer to Q. They ran their fingers up his neck in a soft caress that she doubts anyone else would have noticed then gave him enough distance to work without distraction. 

Sherlock paused briefly, just long enough to glance quickly at the man pressed against him then returning to his typing. It was mildly disconcerting to see the three men standing guard behind the brothers. There was something almost habitual about it that alarmed her. Those three men seemed far to used to one another’s company. All blonde and blue eyed, all soldiers and all utterly devoted to the men they guarded. He must be John then, the one that makes Sherlock tolerable or safe. Eve was going to have serious words with Q about this. Her plans to get him a boyfriend had been seriously de-railed so it was time for a new plan, he would get her a boyfriend since he and his brother had done so well. Maybe there was a store somewhere she’d never been, ‘military blondes on sale one week only’ Russia probably, she had never been to Russia. Smiling to herself and taking one last look at the men inside Q Branch Eve spun on her heel heading back up to her desk so she could go home and take her bath. She would deal with Q in the morning, after all she knew all about his relationship with Bond and Alec, it wouldn’t do for that to get around, he would have to help her and if he didn’t well, she had her ways.


	4. Chapter 4

She’d been stood up. She’d never been stood up before, most men she met were either too grateful to know her or too terrified of her to ever stand her up. It was Sherlock’s fault, it had to be. He was the one who arranged the blind date, it had to be his fault. She was maybe a tiny little bit culpable because seriously she let Sherlock Holmes set her up, the guy might be gorgeous but he lacked a few key social skills. God knows what he told the poor bloke! John patted her shoulder muttering platitudes. Sherlock engrossed in conversation with Q tilted his head back focusing in on John and then assessing her. Halting his conversation he told her, “Don’t worry he’s not coming. He’s probably been kidnapped by Mycroft.”   
John spoke before she could demanding, “Why would Mycroft kidnap Greg Sherlock? What have you done?” 

Sherlock’s ears turned slightly red and Q’s entire body flushed. Whatever was happening they were in this together then. Clearing his throat Sherlock did his best to look put upon, “He’s much more invasive when he’s not having sex. I simply told him that Lestrade was ready to date again and that I had found him the perfect woman. Obviously Mycroft had no intention of letting that happen. He’s been wanting to get into Lestrade’s trousers for years now.”   
John sat there in stony silence, his fingers on Eve’s arm keeping her still, while Sherlock and Q both looked sheepish. Hesitantly Sherlock asked, “Bit not good?” 

“Bloody right it’s not good. What about Eve Sherlock? She’s been stood up because you used her to get your brother laid! Not to mention Greg, is he even gay? Does he like men at all? Does he even like your brother Sherlock? Did you stop and consider that?”   
Sherlock shared a bored stare with Q who deliberately leaned into Alec and Bond, removing himself from the line of fire. Sherlock did his best to pacify John, “Dimmock should be here shortly for Eve. He’s frightfully dull but she should like that about him. As far as my brother and Lestrade go, he does like men, but it’s up to Mycroft to convince him not me. Pint anyone?”   
He was out of his seat before John could respond so he followed after him shouting the whole time. Eve fiddled with the label on her drink hoping that Dimmock wasn’t really as bad as Sherlock just made him out to be. 

Determined not to worry about it, Eve decided to use the opportunity instead. Sherlock and John would be gone for a while given the rowing coming from the bar. It was time to find out everything she could. Turning her attention to Bond and Alex she asked, “So how did you meet Sherlock only you never said?”   
There that was direct. Bond flinched, something she had never seen him do before and Alec huddled closer to him, trying to cover his body with his own. Alec cuddled up against Bond while Q looked embarrassed and vaguely ashamed, but it was Bond who spoke. “It was an accident. We certainly weren’t expecting him or well. It was the weekend and we had, Alec had both Q and I…” 

The poor dear couldn’t seem to get anything else out, his face bright red and his words devolving into incoherent stutters, Alec took over, rubbing a hand across his nape, “He walked in on us in bed. It was extremely awkward given our positioning. Sherlock being Sherlock ignored us and held a conversation with his brother, which was difficult considering he was bound and gagged at the time, but they somehow managed. He spent almost forty minutes wandering around the flat texting and chatting to Q and John. It was beyond embarrassing. John and Bond knew each other from before so that only made things worse. By the time I had everyone untangled and calmed down Sherlock was bored and decided to pay attention to us.”   
James sagged his body against Alec’s, letting him take all of his weight while Alec continued, “Up till that point he’d been ignoring us, like we weren’t there or something, while John had a mild heart attack in the living room. He gave us a full rundown of our sexual history as well as our background and the last three ops we did for MI6. There aren’t words enough for how humiliating it was, more so because it was all accurate. By the time he’d finished Bond was a puddle on the floor and Watson was hiding in the bathroom with Q.”   
Alec ran his fingers through James’ hair comforting the other man. “Of course it led to a row. How could it not with John there? Sherlock didn’t know about John’s relationship with Bond and when he finally noticed all the looks and mortified gazes and copped on to who James had done all those things with, well he was furious. It is not something I ever want a repeat of. An angry Holmes is terrifying.” 

Hastily Q cut in, offering “He didn’t do it to be hurtful. He was just bored and there was new data. Sherlock loves new data and he already knows everything about me. It’s hardly the first time he’s walked in on me in bed with someone. At least this time he didn’t shoot anyone. I count that as a major win. Now if you’ll excuse me I think I’ll go help my brother get the drinks.”   
Eve watched as he walked off leaving a slightly broken Bond behind. The double O looked like he was reliving the whole scene again. Noting his empty glass Eve slid her drink across the table and watched as he downed it in one. It seemed to give him enough courage to get himself back under control and lean away from Alec, or at least move out of his lap. Brushing his hands across his face, Bond told her, “It was horrible. He is horrible and nothing could have prepared me for the detail he went into or the casual way he did it. John says he’s not really a sociopath but I think he’s wrong. Psychopath would probably be a better term but he’s Q’s brother and I love him so I can’t be too mean about Sherlock. Not that Sherlock feels the same way mind. At least when he’s with John he watches what he says. It doesn’t work all the time, John’s not a miracle worker after all, but it works enough to make him seem human- almost normal even. Whoever this bloke is he set you up with Eve I would leave before he gets here. I know a great guy works in security I’ll give him your number.”  
Bond was right, what was she doing here? Why had she agreed to this in the first place? It was supposed to be Q setting her up not Sherlock. Grabbing her coat and bag off the empty chair beside her, she nodded her goodbyes to James and Alec and headed out before Sherlock could notice she was missing. Best to stay away from Sherlock in future, she had too many skeletons in her closet and too much kink in her bedroom to spend any more time with him.


End file.
